Schools Environment News Spring 2007
Tidy Schools Competition 2007
It's that time of year again, time to show off all your hard work and maybe win a prize for your efforts! Enclosed please find an application form for our 2007 Tidy Schools Competition, open to all primary and secondary schools in the county.
2006 prizes went to Carrig N.S. (Ballycommon), Convent Primary, Nenagh; Cloughjordan No. 1 N.S., Kilruane N.S., Clonmore N.S., St. Joseph's Primary, Templemore; Presentation Primary, Thurles; Presentation Secondary School, Thurles. The overall prize went to Ballina N.S. Well done to all involved!
The main emphasis of the competition is on litter/waste management and awareness as well as appreciation of our natural and built environment. Prizes will be awarded in each electoral area, as well as an overall prize. Winners will be invited to the Council's annual environmental awards in November.
Closing date for receipt of application form: Friday 18th May, 2007
North Tipperary County Council would like to take this opportunity to thank schools for all their hard work in keeping their schools clean and green.
Free
Eco Days for Schools 
North Tipperary County Council in partnership with Eco Unesco will be holding 2 days of workshops for schools during the autumn term 2007. Workshops can be designed for primary or secondary level and the themes can be waste, energy or water. Workshops can be half or full day, depending on interest and numbers. These workshops are ideal for schools working towards their green flag. If interested, please contact me asap so that I can book dates with Eco Unesco as they are very busy at that time of year.
Need help going for your Energy Flag?
For those of you working towards your Green Schools Energy Flag, why not sign up to the Display Campaign, which will help you to read your bills and meters and determine how much energy your school uses. By doing this, you will be able to reduce your energy usage and monitor your progress by taking a few simple steps. Tipperary Energy Agency will help you in collecting the necessary information and will issue participating schools with a special certificate. Tipperary Energy Agency is also available to visit schools on behalf of the Council to give an energy talk and play the energy game. For more information, please contact Francoise Hickey at Tipperary Energy Agency on 052 43090 or by email on fhickey@tea.ie. You can read up more on the project by visiting http://www.display-campaign.org/
'Fill
the Van' Textile Recycling Scheme for Schools
North Tipperary County Council and Cookstown Textile Recyclers in conjunction with Mrs Quinn's Charity Shops is organising a textile recycling initiative for schools. The scheme aims to encourage textile recycling within your school by exchanging bags of unused and unwanted textiles for cash. Each filled bin liner will be exchanged for €1.00 and all monies raised from these textiles goes to the National Council for the Blind.
Don't forget that textiles also include towels, blankets, belts, handbags, shoes, bed linens etc. No quilts please. You can use any clean bin liner to collect your textiles.
Participating schools will receive a brochure, poster and a DVD explaining the 'story of the jumper' and what happens to our textiles when we send them for recycling. You will also receive a special diploma once you have completed the recycling project.
Collection of the textiles will take place during the week of Monday 11th June and schools will be given a specific date once we have a better idea of numbers involved. Cookstown Textile Recyclers is licensed by the Environment and Heritage Service to collect, process and store textiles.
If you would like to take part in the scheme, please fill in the enclosed Registration Form and return by post, fax or email to Áine Mc Carthy, contacts details below. Closing date for receipt of registration form is Friday 18th May.
National
Spring Clean
A big THANK YOU to all schools that participated in National Spring Clean during April and contributed to Ireland's biggest anti-litter campaign. 62 North Tipp groups registered with An Taisce for this event, including 20 schools.
Closing
Dates for Green Schools Flag Applications 
The next closing date for green flag applications is 1st December 2007, which sounds a long way off but with the summer break coming soon, it won't be long coming around. If any schools need help with their application, please contact me. Contact details below. Applications can be submitted to An Taisce anytime.
Congratulations to the five North Tipp schools that have recently completed the final assessment stage in the green flag award process: Ardcroney N.S., Inch N.S., Killea N.S., Killeen N.S., and Moyne N.S. Best of luck to all involved!
Contact details for all above (unless otherwise stated)
Áine Mc Carthy, Environmental Awareness Officer,
North Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh
Tel (067) 44784 email: amccarthy@northtippcoco.ie
Translate 
